News

A significant meeting in the Chouf brought together His Eminence Sheikh Dr. Sami Abi Al-Mouna, Sheikh Akl of the Druze Community, and Mr. Marwan Sehnaoui, President of the Order of Malta Lebanon, with the participation of Minister of Agriculture Dr. Nizar Hani, to discuss the needs of the region and explore new avenues of cooperation in service of its communities and their development.

Building on the Order of Malta Lebanon’s longstanding presence in the Chouf through health and social initiatives, the organization is working in cooperation with the Druze community to further strengthen and expand its network in the region.

This engagement is also expected to extend to the agro-humanitarian sector, with future initiatives aimed at supporting farmers, strengthening value chains, creating new economic opportunities and sustainable sources of income, while reinforcing communities’ connection to their land and their capacity for resilience.

Through this integrated approach — combining essential services, social support and livelihood development — both parties share a common vision for the Chouf: one that places service to people and human dignity at the heart of development, while recognizing agriculture as a key pillar of resilience and local economic growth.

The meeting, held at the residence of Sheikh Akl Sheikh Sami Abi Al-Mouna in Shanay, was attended by Sheikh Sami Abdel Khalek, Sheikh Fadi Al-Attar, Dr. Souheil Abou Hala and Dr. Mounir Hamza from the Druze-Christian Dialogue Forum; Mazen Fayyad, Director General of the Confessional Council of the Druze Community in Lebanon; Major General Joe Haddad, member of the Military Council at the Ministry of National Defense; and Elias Ghadban, Adel Ghandour and Oumayma Farah from the Order of Malta Lebanon.